Getting Control

Frustration was a hefty part of my mood last Thursday and I couldn't bring myself to share my misery with you all. But today, despite the weather being the moodier, my mood was as bright as sunshine after riding. I rode another horse today, a beautiful gelding called Kenny. He's a little more bouncier in his gait but more responsive to get cantering, hence the switch. It's been a while since I had a good canter and struggled to get him to do it at first but on two occasions I managed to and fell into his rhythm rather well. I'm still holding back a little I think and he felt that and quickly transferred back to a trot. Getting to know a horse is one thing for a rider but for the horse to know you is also another thing you need to remember. He has a quick speed naturally and my instructor asked me to get him to go quicker and be more forward in his walking. I did this with simple nudging from my legs, or as we say in horse riding, squeeze the sides but gently enough and without the hips to tell your horse you don't want a trot, but just to walk faster, "Step out". I succeeded in this quite effectively and another thing I did notice, as did my instructor was my hands are doing what they are supposed to and not their aerodynamic demonstrations on the rains as they were the previous classes. I have a real issue with my reins constantly lengthening and a tip I read on School your horse blog was to ensure you keep your thumbs firmly on the reins so they don't lengthen and you have total control of your horse at all times. After all, you're in charge. So I think once I gain a bit more confidence and be a little bossier, my cantering will be flying and slowly but surely, I'm feeling like I am improving. Despite even the bad rides, I have come on so much since I started riding a year ago and I'm super pleased and hope Thursday's lesson is as good as today's, if not better.